1. You may identify the stasis in the play but it isn’t necessarily at the beginning of the play. Where is it and who does it involve?
It mainly takes place in San Francisco . The ones involved are Dan White, Douglas Schmidt, Court, the judge, and Thomas F. Norman, and Harvey Milk. The play revolves around the aftermath of the accident were Dan White shot and killed Harvey Milk and George Moscone. So, the play is based on actual reenactments of the trial of Dan White.
2. Ball points out that the intrusion sometimes occurs late in the dramatic action. What is the intrusion that breaks the stasis in Execution of Justice and how is it broken?
The intrusion occurred when the audio of White's confession was played. Before it was played, it seemed like the jury was going to have him plead guilty to first degree murder; However, as White's confession was being played some of the jury members were crying. This caused a shift in what the jury decided. Instead of deciding he was guilty of first degree murder, they decided that he was guilty of voluntary manslaughter.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? Hint: what is the heart of the play? How does the title figure in this?
This was the day that Dan White that Dan Whit decided to kill Harvey Milk and George Moscone.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The dramatic question that must be answered by the end of the play is "Will White get the punishment he deserves?"
5. Use the two lawyers to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what these particular characters wants. The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles facing each of the lawyers.
Norman: Norman wants justice for the murder of Milk and the Mayor. The type of obstacle that Norman was going through was Me against society. This is because of the obstacles that stands in the way of Norman winning the case. One of the obstacles that Norman had to face was having the jury consisting of people that would sway the vote in White's favor. The script mentions the jury not having any gays, blacks, or asians, instead they mostly consisted of workers and middle-class Catholics. Schmidt: Schmidt wants White to go free or at least get a less harsher punishment. To be honest, why wouldn't he want White to get away with murder? He's working for White so he wants his client free from accusations. One of the obstacle type that Schmidt had to face was me against society. He had to use the law against itself in order to set his client free. One of the obstacles that Schmidt had to face was the incriminating evidence against White.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Execution of Justice.
The most theatrical moment was towards the end of Act 2. This was when the riots were being shown as the jury was telling what the outcome of their decision was. The riots seemed to make the scene more intense as the court scene progressed. I was not entirely happy with White getting voluntary manslaughter but I found it was better than him not getting anything. However, that changed when Court announced that White was going to get 7 years and 8 months in jail forTWOcounts of voluntary manslaughter. I, and I'm sure the audience, was very angered by this. It was similar to him getting away with murdering 2 innocent people in cold blood.
It mainly takes place in San Francisco . The ones involved are Dan White, Douglas Schmidt, Court, the judge, and Thomas F. Norman, and Harvey Milk. The play revolves around the aftermath of the accident were Dan White shot and killed Harvey Milk and George Moscone. So, the play is based on actual reenactments of the trial of Dan White.
2. Ball points out that the intrusion sometimes occurs late in the dramatic action. What is the intrusion that breaks the stasis in Execution of Justice and how is it broken?
The intrusion occurred when the audio of White's confession was played. Before it was played, it seemed like the jury was going to have him plead guilty to first degree murder; However, as White's confession was being played some of the jury members were crying. This caused a shift in what the jury decided. Instead of deciding he was guilty of first degree murder, they decided that he was guilty of voluntary manslaughter.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? Hint: what is the heart of the play? How does the title figure in this?
This was the day that Dan White that Dan Whit decided to kill Harvey Milk and George Moscone.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The dramatic question that must be answered by the end of the play is "Will White get the punishment he deserves?"
5. Use the two lawyers to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what these particular characters wants. The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles facing each of the lawyers.
Norman: Norman wants justice for the murder of Milk and the Mayor. The type of obstacle that Norman was going through was Me against society. This is because of the obstacles that stands in the way of Norman winning the case. One of the obstacles that Norman had to face was having the jury consisting of people that would sway the vote in White's favor. The script mentions the jury not having any gays, blacks, or asians, instead they mostly consisted of workers and middle-class Catholics.
Schmidt: Schmidt wants White to go free or at least get a less harsher punishment. To be honest, why wouldn't he want White to get away with murder? He's working for White so he wants his client free from accusations. One of the obstacle type that Schmidt had to face was me against society. He had to use the law against itself in order to set his client free. One of the obstacles that Schmidt had to face was the incriminating evidence against White.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Execution of Justice.
The most theatrical moment was towards the end of Act 2. This was when the riots were being shown as the jury was telling what the outcome of their decision was. The riots seemed to make the scene more intense as the court scene progressed. I was not entirely happy with White getting voluntary manslaughter but I found it was better than him not getting anything. However, that changed when Court announced that White was going to get 7 years and 8 months in jail for TWO counts of voluntary manslaughter. I, and I'm sure the audience, was very angered by this. It was similar to him getting away with murdering 2 innocent people in cold blood.